Kitchen Sink Protein Bowl

After the 2008 election, I had a brief moment of panic. For months, calls with David focused on swapping Obama updates and catching up on the latest drama from the campaign. With the election over, what would we talk about? Naturally, we’d resort back to standard long-distance relationship check-in: “What’d you have for lunch?”

Nearly a week back in long distance, we’ve successfully staved off lunch talk, but I might have to bring up this happy lunch discovery: a kitchen sink protein bowl.

Inventory in the fridge is quite scant with the primary chef/grocery gatherer across the country, so scrapping together whatever’s left made sense for lunch today.

This morning, I scrambled eggs, spinach, and asparagus, and threw an avocado in my bag. At work, I sliced leftover turkey and cheese, mixed with the avocado and veggie scramble and voila! Kitchen sink protein bowl.

Honestly, it looked disgusting, but it tasted delicious.

For the middle of the day on a Thursday, this was a very happy discovery :)

Image above from an awesome blog with a much prettier portrayal of a protein bowl.

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Hamburg Blooms

Technically, we’re a week into spring, but with snow dust on the ground this morning and bitter windchill, spring feels far away.

This article about the wonder of Baltimore made me smile today. I started thinking about spring in the city and the cherry blossom trees at the end of my street. Unfortunately, Snowmageddon wrecked one of them and I’m pretty sure the other was cut back. Thank goodness Robert McClintock captured that special spring moment on Hamburg with his painting “Hamburg Blooms.” My parents gave me a print when I graduated from law school and it always makes me happy when I see it by the kitchen:

Robert McClintock’s Hamburg Blooms:

Travel lessons from FLOTUS

This morning, as I woke up by scrolling through Instagram photos, I saw this “simply breathtaking” snapshot of the Great Wall.

The photo is beautiful, but I was surprised to see this was FLOTUS’ first time at the Great Wall. This landmark travel spot seems like it’s at the top of most travelers to-do lists, and it struck me that the First Lady had not had a chance to visit before.

Pause for a brief reality check.

Of course this is her first opportunity! Unlike family money-ed FLOTUS’ of the past, this First Lady grew up in a hard-working middle class family where international travel was not a budgetary reality. Then she worked, and worked, and worked her way through college and law school, and she and her husband kept going, full speed ahead, working, paying off student loans, and raising their family. Like most Americans, they had to work and save and I have a feeling until the last decade-ish, international travel was likely quite limited.

And eventually, she found a way to see the Great Wall.

Not sure why, but I find this reassuring and inspiring. I’m tremendously inspired by Mrs. Obama overall, but hadn’t thought about her as a travel inspiration.

Sometimes I panic that time is going by too fast and I’ll never have the money or time for more international travel. But the Great Wall was there for FLOTUS when she was ready and it gives me hope for many adventures in the future.

Ted’s

Almost three years ago, I met up with David after work to sign the lease on an apartment in Eastern Market. It was a warm spring evening, and after we checked out our new home (exposed brick! Fireplace! Basement…) we explored our new neighborhood.

We decided to celebrate our first apartment at Ted’s Bulletin. It was crowded, so we squeezed into stools at the Art Deco bar, split a milkshake, and toasted to our new adventure over brussel sprouts and grilled cheese.

Tonight is David’s last night officially living in this apartment as he leaves for the first part of our eventual cross-country move in the morning.

Three years later, it seemed only fitting to return to our first stop in a happy journey of exploring life in Eastern Market.

We sat at the bar, split a milkshake, and caught the final scenes of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington over dinner.

There’s goodness and uncertainty ahead, however, I’m fully aware that nothing will be quite like these first years living together in DC. Starting out in our magical Eastern Market neighborhood is a privilege, and an opportunity I’m tremendously grateful we’ve been able to experience.

Tuckered out.

It’s an intense week. Ready to collapse like this guy:

How can you be overwhelmed or stressed when greeted by that sweet face? One visit with Grover (and his awesome parents) turned the whole day around :)